USA > Iowa > Adams County > Biographical history of Montgomery and Adams counties, Iowa : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each ; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state, engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 33
USA > Iowa > Montgomery County > Biographical history of Montgomery and Adams counties, Iowa : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each ; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state, engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 33
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ANDREW SHEWMAN has been identi- fied with the agricultural interests of Adams county since the year 1875. He is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Crawford county, August 19, 1819, and is a son of Jacob and Mary (Craft) Shewman, natives also of the "Keystone" State and of German descent.
Our subject was reared in the State of his birth, receiving a limited education in the subscription schools hield in the primitive log schoolhouse of that time. At the tender age of nine years he was put upon his own responsibility, and started out to earn his living. At the age of eighteen years he came to Illinois, where he remained about one year, after which he returned to Pennsylva- nia. He was nnited in marriage November 19, 1841, to Miss Mary Ann Stilling, a dangliter of Walter and Dorcas (Hnston) Stilling, natives of Pennsylvania, of French and English descent. In 1850 Mr. Shewman and his family emigrated to the West, and
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located in Jackson county, Iowa, where he purchased 160 acres of partially improved land on which he resided twenty-five years. In 1875 he came to Adams county and bouglit eighty acres of land upon which some im- provements had been made; his farm now consists of 208 acres developed into one of the best farms in the county.
Mr. and Mrs. Shewman are the parents of five children: Benjamin J., of Sioux City; Ormina W., the wife of William Robertson; William, of Greenwood county, Kansas; Al- vina, wife of John Stout of Antelope county, Nebraska; and W. W., of Cass county, Iowa. The parents are consistent members of the Baptist Church; they have lived together a half a century, a life of peace, happiness and content. Mr. Shewman is allied with the Republican party. He is a self-made man, and has accumulated a good property which he uses to the best advantage in giving lis children a good, practical education, a treas- ure of which no man can defraud them.
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AIRD V. RICHEY, who resides on sec- tion 2 in Nodaway township, is the earliest settler of this county now re- siding in Nodaway township. He was born in Richland county, Ohio, August 28, 1830. His father was Joseph Richey and his mother's maiden name was Martha Laird. Joseph Richey was a native of Pennsylvania, and his father, tlie grandfather of the subject of this sketch, also named Joseph Richey, was a native of Pennsylvania. Joseph, Jr., went to Richland county, Ohio, when a young man, and began the clearing up of a farm, and was married there to Martha Laird, who was born and reared in Ohio. The mother of the subject of this notice died in 1832 at the birth of her third child. The hus-
band and father died in 1835. Mr. L. V. Richey is the only representative of his father's family living. On the death of his father, a cousin was appointed his guardian, with whom he lived for many years-in fact, until he was married and sought a home of his own. He received a good common-school education, and at the age of nineteen years began to learn the trade of carpenter, and this trade, with building, has been his chief occupation through life.
On the 17th of June, 1852, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Wolfe. In the fall of 1853 Mr. and Mrs. Richey came to Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and the following spring to Adams county, settling on a piece of land in Mercer township. He and his wife were not only the first settlers of what is now Mercer township, but also of the east half of Adams county. Mr. Richey entered first, 160 acres of timber in what is now the township of Prescott. The following year he sold the greater part of this land, and with the proceeds paid the entry fee of a quarter section of prairie land in Mercer township. On this land Mr. and Mrs. Richey lived until 1859, when Mr. Richey sold his land and removed to Corning and engaged in build- ing. There he and his wife lived until the fall of 1871, when they removed to their present location in Nodaway township. In connection with his farming interests Mr. Richey has continued the occupation of building. He lias probably erected as many buildings in Adams county as any other builder.
Mrs. Richey was born in Knox county, Ohio. Her father was Andrew Wolfe, and her mother's maiden name was Saloma Gar- ver. The former was a native of Pennsyl- vania. The latter was born in Germany, but came to America with her parents when a child of but eight years. Mr. Wolfe settled in
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Ohio, and continued to live in that State until death. At the time of death he and his wife were residents of Sandusky. Mrs. Richey was one of a family of eight children, consisting of three sons and five daughters, several of whom are now deceased. Mrs. Elizabeth Barnett, wife of John Barnett, of Douglas township, is a sister of Mrs. Richey. Mr. and Mrs. Richey have had nine children, six sons aud three daughters, namely: Elizabeth E., wife of Granville Overhulse; Mary I., wife of John Lemon; Sarah I., wife of Will- iam Peryman; the eldest son in Charles D., and the others are John L., Samuel M., Frederick E., Joseph T. and Ira E.
Mr. and Mrs. Richey suffered all priva- tions incident to a pioneer life. They came to the county with two covered wagons, which constituted their residence for about a month. By that time Mr. Richey had erected a log cabin with a puncheon floor, built in the truly primitive style of the pio- meer days. Later Mr. Richey erected a hewed log house, where the family lived in comparative comfort. Mr. and Mrs. Richey have a pleasant house, where they now re- side, in the enjoyment of the comforts of life; but their recollections of early trials and tribulations incident to their early settlement are vivid in their minds, and will ever re- main so. The wolf and the deer in the early days were numerous, and were so unused to the appearance of inan as to have bnt little fear of him; but the fertile farın has taken the place of the forest, and the prairie land is turned to cultivated fields. For the long period of thirty-seven years have Mr. and Mrs. Richey been residents of Adams county. They have reared a large family of children, all but one of whom was born in Adams county. It may be mentioned as a remarkable fact that through all the priva- tions of the pioneer days, and during later
years, the family of Mr. and Mrs. Richey have all been spared, no death having oc- curred in that family during their married life. A parallel case can hardly be found in Adams county, where so large a family, the greater part of whom have reached mature years, have lived so long without bereavement by death. Mr. and Mrs. Richey are numbered among the well- known and esteemed citizens of Adams county, where they have lived so long. Politically Mr. Richey was a Republican during the troub- lous war times, but later, as new issues came up, he saw his duty elsewhere and has voted with the Democratic party. He and his wife are faithful and consistent members of the Advent Church.
ILLIAM I. GRAY, of section 17, Grant township, came to this county in 1880, where he is one of the enter. prising and successful citizens. He was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburg, a son of James and Mary Ann (Thornsburg) Gray, the former a native of Tyrone, Ireland, and the latter a daughter of John Thornsburg, of Pennsylvania. The parents had fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters, of whom our subject is the tenth child. They resided in Allegheny county until death, the father dying at the age of sixty years, and the mother at the age of seventy. The father, a farmer by occupa- tion, was a member of the Presbyterian Church, as was also the mother.
William, our subject, was reared on a farm in his native State, and received a common- school education. In 1879 he came to Iowa, spent oue season in Marion county, and then came to Adams county, where he bought a farm in Mercer township. He sold this place
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in 1890, after which he bought his present farm of George Bratton and Robert Martin, and also eighty acres of Edward Matthews. He now owns 240 acres of well improved land, where he has a good house, groves, orchards, barns, sheds, yards and feed lots.
Mr. Gray was married in Allegheny county, Marclı 6, 1878, to Miss Mary Snodgrass, a native of Butler county, Pennsylvania, and daughter of James and Jane (Hamilton) Snodgrass, natives of Ireland. They had eiglit children, four sons and four daughters. The father died at the age of eighty-four, and the mother at the age of sixty years, both in Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Gray have five children: Elmer Ellsworth, Jesse Elliott, Alvin Irvin, Myrtle Ursula and Mary Musetta. Politically Mr. Gray affiliates witli tlie Demo- cratic party, and both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Churchi.
JON. F. P. GREENLEE, one of the prominent citizens of the county and a leading attorney at law, was born in Ross county, Ohio, October 5, 1846. His parents were Thomas F. and Eliza A. (Pearce) Greenlee; the former was a native of Rock- bridge county, Virginia, and the latter was born in New Jersey and raised in Ohio. His father was for more than twenty years engaged in teaching throughout Ohio, and was promi- nent as an educator. In later life he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits on his farm near Hillsborough, in Highland county, Ohio. He was an active and earnest worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church, as was also his wife. The latter is still living and is now sixty-eight years of age. Mr. Greenlee was also an enthusiastic worker in the temperance cause and the Sabbath-school. Of the ten children born to T. F. and Eliza A. Greenlee, 2 6
the subject of our sketchi was the third and is one of the seven who are still living.
F. P. Greenlee, after receiving a high- school education, engaged in teaching, which he followed for three years, studying all the while. He then read law in Indianapolis, Indiana, under the tutorage of his uncle, E. A. Greenlee. In 1873 he was admitted to tlie bar and began the practice of his profes- sion in Villisca, Iowa. Here he lias con- tinued and has met with eminent success. He is the oldest practitioner in Villisca, and among the oldest, and one of the leading at- torneys of the county. He was elected a member of the School Board, which position he held for nine years, and ever since he located liere has been prominenily identified with the educational affairs of the county. He was elected Mayor of Villisca in 1883, which position he held one term, declining re-election. He was elected to the State Legislature and occupied a prominent posi- tion there two years. While a member of the Legislature he was Chairman of the Committee of the Board of Public Charities, was a member of the Judiciary and other im- portant committees; he liad principal charge of reforming the judicial system of the State and redistricting the same; he took part on the floor in debate, and discharged the duties of the high office with a high degree of sat- isfaction to his constituents and in a manner tliat reflected much credit on himself.
October 24, 1878, Mr. Greenlee was mar- ried to Miss Cora Mann, daughter of Joseph and Emily Mann of Montgomery county, Iowa. She was born in Michigan, and in 1869 came with her parents to Iowa. Her father and mother are now honored residents of Villisca. Mr. and Mrs. Greenlee have three children: George F., Harry L. and Marie.
Politically Mr. Greenlee is a Republican
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ever identified with the best wishes of his party. He is also actively associated with the fraternal societies of Villisca, being a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias. In 1875 he had passed through all the chairs of the I. O. O. F., and more recently through the Encampment and the Canton. He was District Representative of the lodge in 1878. In the K. of P. he is a charter member of two lodges, Red Oak and Villisca, and a member of the Uniform Rank. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. Active in every enterprise which looks to the general improvement and material pro- gress of the county, Mr. Greenlee is regarded as a most influential citizen, being alike pop- ular in business, political, fraternal and social circles.
ILLIAM BIXLER, who resides on section 16, Quincy township, belongs to one of the pioneer families of Adamns county. His father, Jacob Bixler, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where he was reared and married to Miss Elizabeth Murry, who was born in the same county as her husband. The Bixler family are of German origin. Jacob Bixler continued to reside in Fayette county for a number of years after his marriage, when he removed with his family to Coshocton county, Ohio, where he settled on a farm and continued to reside until he came to Adams county in 1856. He located in Douglas township. His wife died in 1859, and the father then made his home with his children until his death in 1871. He was an honored and respected citizen. In his religious connec- tion he was in early life a member of the Lutheran church, as was also his wife. On coming to Iowa he and his wife joined the Methodist church, there being no church of
their denomination convenient. They were the parents of nine children, six sons and three daughters, and all are now living but two of the daughters. Four sons are resi- dents of Adams county, and one lives in Ohio. The eldest of the family is the sur- viving daughter, who lives in Owen county, Indiana.
William Bixler, the subject of this sketch, was born in Ohio, January 22, 1837, and was but nineteen years old when he came to Iowa with his parents. The family arrived in Quincy July 4, 1856. In October, 1861, William Bixler enlisted in Company H, Fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served over four years, having been discharged July 7, 1865, by reason of wounds received in battles. He took part with his regiment in the expedition against the Rebel General Price, in Missouri, in 1862. Pursuing Price to Arkansas, he took part in the battle of Pea Ridge. He went thence to the vicinity of Little Rock, Arkansas, thence to Helena, and was engaged in various enterprises, especially in sconting for the remainder of that season or until December, 1862. He then with his regiment joined General W. T. Sherman in his movements against Vicksburg, and took part in the charge at Chickasaw Bluffs, where, after taking one of the enemy's works, they were compelled to retreat. His regiment lost in this charge 120 men killed and wounded. Mr. Bixler also took part in the battle of Arkansas Post in the early part of 1863, and in the siege of Vicksburg, under General Grant, and the battles and separa- tions preceding and attending that siege. In September, 1863, he went to Memphis, and thence to Iuka, Mississippi; from there he was sent back to Memphis on account of sickness. He was soon after given a furlough and re- turned home, rejoining his regiment at Wood- ville, Alabama. There he re-enlisted and
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was severely wounded in the left arm and side at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864. He was soon after again fur- loughed and returned home, and at the ex- piration of his furlough he reported at the hospital at Keokuk, where he remained until his discharge. He was in active service from the time of his enlistment until he was wounded at Kenesaw Mountain, except a period of about two months, when he was afflicted with small-pox in the spring of 1863. Mr. Bixler was a faithful soldier in the cause of the Union, and sacrificed his health in tlie service, which was permanently effected by the small-pox, one result of which was the loss of his right eye.
He was married in 1866, to Miss Lizzie J. Allen, a daughter of George W. Allen, of St. Louis, who died there December 22, 1844. Mrs. Bixler's mother, who was born in Ken- tucky in 1818, is still living, residing with Mr. and Mrs. Bixler. Mr. and Mrs. Bixler have a son, Frank A., who was born on the homestead in 1867. They lost one son, Charles, in infancy.
OHN HENRY is one of the oldest, best- known pioneers of Adams county. He was born in Washington county, Penn- sylvania, February 24, 1826, and is a son of Joseph Henry, who was a native of Pennsylvania and a son of John Henry, son of Squire Henry. The Henrys were a Penn- sylvania Dutch family. The mother of our subject was Ellen (Cunningham) Henry, a native of Pennsylvania and of English ancestry.
John Henry was a lad of ten years when his parents moved to Ohio, where they re- sided until their death. The father died at he age of sixty-three years and the mother
at the age of sixty years. They were the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters. The father, Joseph Henry, was a farmer all his life. In religion he was a Presbyterian, and served as an elder in the church. Politically he was a Democrat.
The subject of our sketch was reared on a farm In January, 1852, he sailed by Cape Horn to the Pacific coast, where he remained two years, engaged in mining. He then re- turned by the Nicaragua route to Ohio, where he remained until the fall of 1854, when he canie to Marion county, Iowa. In the spring of 1855 he removed to Union county, Iowa, near Creston. The next sum- mer he came to Carl township, Adams county, lowa. He was one of the earliest settlers in this locality. Here he has resided for thirty-six years and witnessed the won- derful improvements of the country. Col- onel Jim Lane, when on his way to Kansas with 500 inen, while his men were camping near, was the guest of Mr. Henry.
Mr. Henry was married in Guernsey county, Ohio, March 21, 1848, to Miss Eliz- abeth Jane McConnell, a native of that place and a daughter of William McConnell, who, was born on the sea, son of William McCon- nell, Sr., a native of Ireland. William Mc- Connell, Jr., was married at the age of nineteen years to Miss Mary Miller. She was a native of Kentucky and a daughter of Jonathan Miller. The father of Mrs. Henry died in Ohio, aged sixty-three years, and the mother died in Carl township, this county at the age of eighty. Mr. and Mrs. Henry have three children, viz .: W. L., who is now in the West; Millissa, wife of C. Teneyck of Villisca, Iowa; Mary Useba, wife of Benja- min Hite, of Shelby, lowa. They have lost one child by death, Vincent, who, at the age of twenty-one years, was killed by accident in the mountains of Colorado.
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Politically Mr. Henry is a Democrat. He is a member of the Masonic order. Mrs. Henry is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church.
D. KENNEDY, following agricnl- ture on section 28, Nodaway town- ship, is an intelligent, faithful citizen who has been living here ever since 1865, after serving in the war. He was born in county Roscommon, Ireland, November 9, 1844, the son of Ed. and Ellen (Camp- bell) Kennedy, natives of the same county. The father died when the son was but five or six years old, leaving the latter and the mother alone in the world. They afterward came to America, settling at Racine, Wis- consin.
The gentleman whose name introduces this sketch grew up to manhood in Racine and in Waushara county, Wisconsin, on a farm. Those were pioneer times, when Pottawatta- mie Indians were still numerous there.
Under President Lincoln's call for "300,- 000 more" he enlisted in Company B, Thirty- second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Most of the time his regiment was on detached duty at Memphis. It was at length ordered to the front, where he served over nine months. Mr. Kennedy was then honorably discharged.
He followed farming until 1865, when he came to Adams connty, purchased eighty acres of wild land, on section 20, Nodaway township, which he improved and made his home for a few years, and then purchased where he now lives. He has a fine house, 20 x 24 feet, a story and a half high, with an L 14 x 24, one story high. The location is on a natural building site. The barn is 44 x 52 feet. Other ontbuildings and conveniences show the taste and good judgment of the
proprietor. On the farm, which now contains 190 acres, there is also a good tenant house. Mr. Kennedy is a successful farmer. In pol- itics he is a Republican, and he is a member of William Lundy Post, No. 271, G. A. R., at Villisca.
He was married, April 13, 1870, to Miss Sarah Shipley. She was born in Morgan county, Ohio, the daughter of David and Mary (Bean) Shipley, who had one son and three daughters. Mr. Shipley died July 27, 1888, and Mrs. Shipley, July 9, 1872. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy are: Lawrence, Charles, Edna, Frank, Edward, William, Fred, Philip, Harrison and an in- fant daughter not yet named.
E. ZIMMERMAN, an intelligent and enterprising citizen of Red Oak, has been a resident here since 1882. He was born in Stephenson county, Illinois, May 28, 1859, a son of Daniel Zimmerman, a native of Pennsylvania and now an honored citizen of Red Oak. Mr. Zimmerman's mother, whose maiden name was Harriet Pifley, was born in Wittenberg, Germany, and was eleven years of age when bronght to America by her parents. Daniel Zimmer- man was married in Lycoming county, Penn- sylvania, and moved to Stephenson county, Illinois, during the early settlement of that section of the State, and came to Red Oak in 1882. He purchased of T. E. Brown the present homestead, which was then but partly improved; and W. E., our present subject, purchased it of his father. There are 160 acres, good land, and nicely improved. Upon it are a good two-story residence, 16 x 28 feet, and ornamental grounds, orchard, barn, outbuildings, etc., besides good springs sup- plying water to the tanks in four different
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feed lots, including the pasture. Mr. Zim- inerman has some good thoroughbred Here- fords, and also a number of high grades.
He was married in Stephenson county, Illinois, February 25, 1880, to Miss Mary J. Holsapple, of that county, and daughter of De Witt and Malinda (Stalıl) Holsapple: her father was born in Perry county, Pennsyl- vania, and her mother in the same place. By this marriage there was one son, named Bert Leonard, who was born November 1, 1883. Mr. Zimmerman is a Democrat on national questions, and a leading member of the Farmers' Alliance in his locality, being now the treasurer of the local organization.
R. YOUNG has been a resident of Adains county for twenty years, and is well known here. Briefly given, his biography is as follows:
H. R. Young was born in Connecticut, August 28, 1847. His father, Josiah Young, was born in Connecticut, the descendant of an old New England family. Grandfather Young was a fifer in the war of 1812. The maiden name of Mr. Young's mother was Mary Ann Corbin. She was a native of Massachusetts, as was also her father, Royal Corbin. Her grandfather Corbin was of French descent and was a Revolutionary soldier. Josiah Young and his family left Connecticut in 1855 and came west to Iowa, settling near De Witt, in Clinton county. He and his wife, the foriner sixty-eight and the latter sixty-six years old, are now residents of Prescott, this State. They reared a famn- ily of six children, three sons and three daughters. Of these the subject of our sketch was the second-born. He was a lad of seven years when his father came to Iowa,
and here on a farm he was reared, receiving his education in the public schools.
In 1870 Mr. Young settled on wild land, for some time spending his summers at work on his farm and his winters in the eastern part of the State. In this way he improved 120 acres, on which he made his liome until recently. In 1891 he located on his present farm, 160 acres in section 36, Carl township, which he purchased of W. A. Bonar. He has this year erected an attract- ive cottage home, and is now comfortably situated to enjoy life. The old farm, located in section 28, he still owns and has it rented. On each place is a good orchard.
Mr. Young was married in March, 1876, to Miss Sarah C. Leonard, who was born, reared and educated in Ogle county, Illinois, and was before her marriage a popular and efficient teacher. Her father, Hiram Leon- ard, was born in Ohio, of Scotch ancestry, and her mother, nee Sarah Randall, was a native of Delaware county, Ohio. Her father was among the early settlers of Ogle county, Illinois, having settled there in 1835. Hiram Leonard died at the home of his son, Flagg Center, on the morning of February 14, 1888, of kidney trouble, aged seventy-eight years. Deceased came to Ogle county in February, 1835, locating a large claim at Washington Grove, a few years later moving to another farm in Flagg township. Six of his thirteen children, John, Ransom, Sarah George, Allen and Edward, survive him. He leaves as legacy to his children the record of a well-spent life and large property. Mrs. Leonard died at the same place. In their fanily of thirteen children, only six, five sons and Mrs. Young, reached adult age. Mr. and Mrs. Young have five children: Sadie A., Josie A., Mabel A., Grover A. and William Harrison.
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